


stars can't compare to your beauty

by faith_missingawae



Series: we have an understanding, you and i [2]
Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, I suck at describing things, Renew Anne with an E, and communication, cause communication is important, i miss shirbert, i think i'm a bit better lol, ik there's no description at all but please forgive me, second shirbert fic, this is just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:20:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26632741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faith_missingawae/pseuds/faith_missingawae
Summary: in which Anne and Gilbert lay under the stars and just talk
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Series: we have an understanding, you and i [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1937464
Comments: 2
Kudos: 69





	stars can't compare to your beauty

“You _have_ to come outside, it’s such a _splendid_ night,” Anne had told him, enthusiasm evident as she had all but dragged him outside, eyes sparkling and smile bright.

“Its splendor probably wouldn’t match yours,” Gilbert thought to himself quietly as he let her pull him outside amusedly, still unable to accept that she, Anne of Green Gables, actually reciprocated his affection for her.

It had been a while, but Gilbert supposed that the shock would never completely wear off. A younger version of himself had been sure of a future with no one, _especially_ not Anne. 

Gilbert tried to avoid thinking about that version of himself, the one who gave voice to his every insecurity of never being enough, of never having anything to offer.

Now it only existed in the deepest recesses of his heart, and whenever he was with Anne, it was like he forgot about all of it.

To be fair, he _did _tend to forget about a lot of things whenever Anne was around.__

____

__

Anne Shirley Cuthbert tended to have that effect on him, although he wasn’t complaining.

The subject of his thoughts had already sat down and was gesturing to him to do the same and Gilbert obliged, crossing his legs and craning his neck backwards to look at the sky which was indeed beautiful.

Trust Anne to see the beauty in pretty much everything, except herself.

“I can never get tired of appreciating the beauty of the night sky,” Anne breathed out, her smile soft as she gazed up.

“I could say the same about yours,” Gilbert thought, sneaking a glance at the woman who held his heart in the palm of her hand, something he didn’t really seem to care about anymore.

It took him a few seconds to realize that he had voiced his thought out loud, loud enough for Anne to hear it through the spell the night sky had casted on her. 

When he noticed her gaze on him instead of the sky, he smiled embarrassed, rubbing the side of his head, the side where Anne had whacked that slate all those years ago.

“Sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve you and all your love,” Anne spoke, breaking him out of his thoughts. 

He smiled softly as soon as their eyes met again. “I think the same too, but it’s about how I don't deserve you.”

Anne tried to raise an eyebrow, earning a chuckle from him as she failed. It was something she had vowed to master as they both had realized just how much Gilbert relied on them for expressing himself.

“I still don’t understand how you managed to fall for me, especially considering how many times I’ve put my foot in it when it comes to you,” Anne muttered, the question evident in her expression.

“I could say the same for you too, you know,” Gilbert teased, twirling a strand of Anne’s hair. “I managed to earn your ire all in five minutes of meeting you.”

Anne laughed, remembering their meeting and then learning about Ruby’s dibs, even though that was before she even entertained the notion of a romance with anyone for that matter, least of all Gilbert.

Anne had spent half her life believing that she would be alone and then learning to be fine with that belief. Sometimes it was hard for her to remember that someone did love her in the way she had always hoped to be loved, and that she was living out her wildest dreams when it came to Gilbert Blythe.

“As for your question,” Gilbert continued, choosing to lie down and stare at the sky, “I have a hard time believing that anyone could meet Anne Shirley Cuthbert in all her glory and not fall in love.”

“In all my glory? Really, Blythe?” Anne rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t stop a giddy smile from blooming. “I practically ran away from you, then proceeded to flat out ignore you until I whacked you with a slate.”

Gilbert smirked at her. “It’s Blythe now, is it _Carrots?_ ”

“Though your reaction might have been a bit warranted, I had just really wanted to get your attention,” he added.

“By comparing my hair, which I then considered the greatest bane of my existence, with a _vegetable?_ ” Anne scoffed. “Such a romantic.”

“So I’m guessing calling you _Carrots_ is a no then is it? And I have to add that in my defense, it seemed like a foolproof plan to get you to notice me,” Gilbert looked at Anne, who was still sitting with her arms around her knees, and grinned impishly.

Anne made a face. “You were so earnest and eager in the beginning and I couldn’t say anything because of the dibs and the fact that I couldn’t risk losing the only friends I had,” Anne said softly, her eyes on the sky.

Trying to ignore the creeping sadness that she had buried deep in her heart, she shook herself out of it and focused on the next thing that came to mind.

“But as we grew older, you became quieter about it. What happened?” she asked, finally facing him.

Gilbert looked deep in thought, and as he got ready to voice his thoughts, he put his hand in the space between them, Anne not thinking twice before she entwined her fingers with his.

“I guess, as Bash would say it, I was a moke who didn’t have the courage to act on my feelings. I went from thinking that you were cute to loving you more as each day went by. Though I always knew that I liked you, I didn’t really understand just how much I loved you. Maybe if I had, then-”

Anne squeezed his hand slightly in reassurance.

Gilbert let out a shaky sigh. “If I had managed to make sense of my feelings earlier, I could’ve spared Winnie of all the humiliation, and you of all the hurt. I’m sorry that I hurt you Anne,” he whispered to her, his eyes sad.

Anne felt the familiar pangs of hurt striking her hurt, but they were fleeting now, and less intense.

“It’s not your fault, Gil. I was in the wrong too. My actions must have been a source of confusion for you. I’m sorry for the hurt I caused you,” Anne replied, her voice soft.

Gilbert nodded in understanding as he raised his head and moved her hand to kiss it softly

“It’s all in the past now. Besides, one could say that we worked out in the end don’t you think?” Gilbert asked, tugging her hand slightly.

Anne realized what he meant and also laid down to gaze at the night sky, something she had ironically forgotten about despite being the one who brought them out there.

“One could say that we did,” she replied smiling, in awe again of the stars.

And of the one beside her.

They laid there, side by side, just watching the sky and lost in their thoughts, which were unsurprisingly of each other.

“Is it time to head back?” Gilbert asked after a while, though he didn’t sound particularly happy about it.

They had managed to sneak outside after dinner at the Blythe-Lacroix homestead, although they hadn't really gone all that far and Anne had a sneaking suspicion that it was less of that and more of the adults _letting_ them go, _especially_ after Anne and Gilbert had sworn up and down that they'd "behave" after a series of mind-numbingly long lectures from everyone ranging from Bash to Mrs.Lynde.

Of course, Anne had to take the brunt of it because society deemed it so, while Gilbert mostly had to deal with Bash embarrassing him and wallowing in silence with Matthew until he supplied a few well chosen words.

Out of the two Gilbert got the most anxiety due to the latter.

“I suppose so, considering that the _announcement_ of our courtship was more than unconventional, and it threw all of Avonlea into a fuss,” Anne admitted grudgingly, though all she wanted was to keep spending time with him like this.

“I wasn’t aware that the kiss was an announcement,” Gilbert smiled at Anne. “It was more of a wordless declaration as I couldn’t find the words at that moment.”

“Considering that I did the same, I’m not saying anything against it,” Anne blushed slightly, her cheeks reddening at the memory. 

She sat up, pretending to fiddle with her shoe as she waited for it to fade.

Sometimes it felt like that day had happened either yesterday or a very long time ago.  
Gilbert tucked a strand of Anne’s hair behind her ear after he had gotten himself upright, touching her face softly afterwards.

Anne’s breath hitched as she met his gaze, which she was starting to realize, held an immeasurable amount of love for her.

Anne Shirley Cuthbert had been told most of her life that no one would want her, that she was destined to be sad and alone. Somewhere along the line, she had truly believed it. 

Although she had realized that she could lead a happy life despite what she was told, she had never really put much hope in being loved the way she had always dreamed.

Until him.

“I love you, Gilbert Blythe. I love you more than words can express, though I will always try to find the words that can only begin to quantify my love for you,” Anne smiled at him, her heart soaring as she saw his face break out into a beautiful smile.

“I love you, Anne Shirley Cuthbert. It always has been and always will be you,” Gilbert told her, his words causing a shiver to run through Anne’s body. 

She shut her eyes softly as he leaned in to kiss her, things like propriety of little concern to either of them.

**Author's Note:**

> um so i kinda like this one? (give me a few days, i'll come to despise it lol)
> 
> anyway, huge thanks to stella (@aesthctex) for helping me with editing and stuff, cause this had a b u n c h of mistakes.  
> i did add a bit more so yeah, there's still a chance of mistakes, sorry-
> 
> also thank you niamh (@ascopetoimagine) for pointing out stuff i missed. [i suck at description and well, gil was too busy looking at anne so apologies for the total lack of *everything* except dialogue. also niamh has a really cute fic so give that a shot too while you're here?]
> 
> tysm for reading this, i hope it made you smile :)
> 
> ily guys
> 
> faith_renewawae on twitter, if anyone wants to talk about their love for awae and shirbert as individuals and a ship


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